Improvement in folding tables



ws. aus. @www WENN-WMM@ M0, 242,305, Patented Augustznavs.

' ITNES 5 I INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFEIGE cHAELEs E. WHEELER, or sT. LoUrs,'MissoUEI.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOLDING TABLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,306, dated-August 26, 1873; application led April 24, 1873.

To all 'whom it may concern: Be it known that I, CHARLES H. WHEELER, of St. Louis, county of St. Louis and rState of Missouri, have invented an Improvement in a Portable Table Attachment, the design of which is to afford a convenient and serviceable 'table for occasional Ydomestic or other use, which may be readily laid aside when not desired for present use, or converted into a form suitable for conveyance frolnplaoe to place. f I

The invention consists in the peculiar manner in which the legs are attached to the table-top and held in position when in use, and in the peculiar manner in which they are closed and clasped when it is to be laid aside or removed from place to place.

The attachment is exhibited in the accompanying plan. Figure l is a side elevation of a table to which itis applied, with one pair of legs turned up or closed, D representing the top of the table as seen from `the side; g, the pair of legs turned downward; e, the pair turned up. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same as seen from the under side. Figs. 3 and 4 exhibit a slight modification of the attachment hereinafter described. Y

a b and c d,`as seen in Fig. 2, are two strips or bars of wood or suitable material, attached to the under side of the table-top by screws or other suitable means, extending parallel to the sides of said tabletop nearly the length of the same, and terminating at a short distance from each end. a c and b d are similar strips or bars, similarly attached, extending across the under side ofthe table-top parallel to the ends of thesame, between the termini of a b and c d, the design of these strips or bars being to aiiord a suitable support for the springs and hinges hereinafter described, to assist in the adjustment of the legs when in position and to give additional rirmness throughout. The two legs at each end of the table are connected, at their top, by a cross-bar, shown as m n, Fig. 2, said cross-bar to be made of wood or other suitable material. rlhe legs are attached to the table at each side by a hinge, said hinge being made of iron or other suitable material, and attached to the strips or bars a b and c d by a pivot at the point c, shown in Fig. 1, being a point on the Aabove o is a small nib or projecting tongue, the projection being in a direction toward the.

table-side said hinge then extends inward or away from the side of the table until it reaches the nearest side of the table-legs, just opposite the ends of the 4aforesaid cross-bar, and is then attached to said legs at t and tf, as seen in Fig. l, by screws or other suitable means. The shape of the hinges as seen from beneath is shown in Fig. 2, where they are marked .fr and To the outside of said strips or bars, at the points s and s', being pointssomewhat farther from the ends of the same than the attachment of the hinges hereinbefore described, are attached, by screws or other suitable means, certain springs consisting of thin sheets of steel or other material possessing the requisite properties of a spring, extending thence toward the table-ends, curving slightly downward so as to strike against the small nib or projecting tongue upon the hinge hereinbefore described, and thus vholding the legs fast in position when the table is in use by locking the hinge. A portion of said spring extends above and beyond said small nib or projecting tongue, in order that said spring may be the more readily operated by the hand. When the table is to be closed or folded the end of said spring is pressed out: ward or away from the side of the strip or bar to which it is attached. rlhe small nib or projecting tongue on the hinge is thus released, and the legs readily fold against the under side of the table-top. A slight recess in the upper side of the same spring now receives the small nib or projecting tongue, and there holds it fast, thus securing the legs in closed position. A similar pressure upon the sprin g again relieves them when desired. In

order that `both pairs of legs may fold close to the tabletop without coming in conllict with each other, those at one end are made nearer together than those at the other, and thus fold within them. p and 19' in Fig. 2 show the position of the spring when at rest; g and q in same figure, its position when pressed out for the purpose of releasing the legs from their position. The tWo springs at opposite ends of the table, as seen from the side, are exhibited in Fig. 1, and marked A.

Figs. 3 and 4 exhibit the attachment as applied to a sin gleindependent leg. The arrangement and operation are substantially the same as when applied to the connected pair of legs. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the single-leg arrangement. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same. The rectangle marked B, Fig. 3, is a section ofthe tabletop. The rectangle marked C in same is the end of a strip or bar similar to e b and c d before described, to which the hinge is attached. Said strip or bar may eX- tend in any direction and to any distance de sireil across the under side of the table-top. F represents the upper portion of. the leg, to which the hinge is attached. F represents the hinge, which differs from. that lbefore described in being extended so as to reach and fasten to both sides of the strip or bar G, at points o and o', Where it moves on a pivot.

The leg is thus rendered sufficiently firm Without the support of the cross-bar used with the two legs. A in Fig. 4C exhibits the spring as seen from the side, which is attached to the side of said strip or bar opposite to the leg, the arrangement and operation being precisely the same as when used with the pair of legs. o in Fig. 4 represents the small nib or projecting tongue of hinge when the leg is down; o',

the receptacle for the same when the leg isy closed.

I claim as my inventionl. rIhe combination of the hinge, of substantially the form shown, with the loeking-sprin g, which fixes the leaves of the hinge rigidly in position both when closed and when open, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the hinge and spring with the table and table-legs, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

In Witness whereof I have set my hand this 15th day of April, A. D. 1873.

GHAS. H. WHEELER.

Witnesses F. S. Mnssrn, BENJ. F. GRAY, Jr. 

